Democratic state lawmakers push for mandatory background check for all firearm sales

Thursday marked five months since three women were killed at the Azana Salon and Spa in Brookfield, and legislators are calling for mandatory background checks for all firearms sales.

With federal gun legislation about to be debated in Washington, some state legislators at the Capitol said the state can't afford to wait to limit criminals' access to firearms.

The shooting spree at Azana Salon and Spa provides a case-in-point for those calling for mandatory background checks for all gun sales.

"I truly believe in the bottom of my heart that if there had been a universal background check done back then, there's a pretty good chance that my sister Zina would still be with us this day. So I urge our lawmakers to please pass a background check," said Elvin Daniel, whose sister was killed at Azana.

"What are the odds this makes it through the Legislature, realistically?" Bohr asked.

"Well, I'd hope the Legislature listens to the state of Wisconsin, which by an 80 percent margin favor universal background checks," Richards said.

"We do not live and die by polls, we live and die by what's right and what's wrong. Sometimes you have a difference in philosophy, and I respect that. We definitely want to take a look and see what the most effective way to go after criminals is. I prefer to take people who have committed a crime and lock them up for a very long time," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said.

Vos said Democrats haven't yet showed him the bill but is inclined to oppose it.

"Today was a day for politics. Unfortunately, I prefer policy where we have a rational discussion, we sit down and talk about it, see if there's areas of common ground," Vos said.

So far, supporters don't have a timetable for introducing their bill.

The bill closing the so-called "gun-show loophole" would make selling a firearm without a background check a misdemeanor.

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